Burglar trap



Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES ADAM A. RICH, OF HAMILTON, OHIO.

BURGLAR TRAP.

Application filed May 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM A. RICH, residing at Hamilton, Butler County,OhIO, a citizen of the United States, have mvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Burglar Traps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to burglar traps and is particularly adapted foruse in banks and other institutions where large amounts of money aremore or less in sight of the customers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for quietly lockingthe outside doors of a bank when any of the tellers or clerks in thebank operate a foot controlled switch.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of such aquiet door locking apparatus having a connection to apolice station anda signal light at each door for indicating to all the employees in thebank that the trap has operated. Referring to the drawings where apreferred embodiment of'my invention isillustrated,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bank lobby showing the layout of theelectric wiring.

Figure 2 is an elevational View of the outside of the building showing amethod of securing the lock in place.

Figure 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of the foot switch.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views .of the electrically operated lockingmechanism.

Figure 6 is a cross section of a structure illustrative of an interiorconstruction of the electrically controlled locking device 20. 1Odesignates the outside wall of a bank or other institution which it isdesired to protect, 11 and 12 are the outside doors. The interior of thecages are indicated at 13. Adjacent the window of each cage and on thefloor is a foot switch 14 having a button protruding from the top andadapted to be operated by the foot of any one, as the teller,

who is adjacent the window. When the button 15 is pressed, it operates asmall knife clrcuit closing device 16, the purpose of Y which will belater described.

In the door. frames are provided electri cally operated locking devicessuch as 20, 21 and 22 shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5. The door is providedwith a cooperating device as, a mortise lock 23 without knobs, the bolt24 of which cooperates with the locking member 25. The locking deviceand its 1921. Serial No. 469,406.

will then be locked. The locking members 24 and 25 are preferablybeveled as shown.

The city lighting circuit designated at 26 carries a transformer 27 forsupplying our- 1 rent for use on the burglar lock operating line. Thisline has a branch for each door to operate the lock and to operate thelights 28and 29. which are located adjacent the respective doors. I

There is also a connection from the lock operating line to the policestation through the relay 30 and the transformer 31. This relay 30 isprovided to close the circuit in the police station line which may be ofdifferent voltage. Connection for power is made to this line in any wellknown manner. This line operates the annunciator 32 located in thepolice station, and indicates that the burglar trap at the particularbank or in- .stitution has been operated.

The connections from the foot switches 14 are made in multiple so thatthe operation of any of the switches 14 will causc'the operation of thewhole apparatus.

In Figure 6, I-have shown a means illustrative of the electricallycontrolled locking device construction. The details of this mechanismper se. form no part of my inventlon. In this figure, represents amagnet,

51 the armature therefor, the end of which forms a detent for the upperend of the lockmg member 25. When the magnet is energlzed, the detentreleases the locking memper 25, permitting it to fall to lockingposiion. I

In Figure '4, the locking'member 24 is Let us suppose that the burglarenters thedoor 12, which like all the doors, is provided with any of thewell known door closing mechanisms which normally operates" to close thedoor.

As soon as any of the tellers realizes the purpose of the burglar, oneor more of the switches 14 would be operated. The passage of the currentwould be as follows :-from the circuit closing member 16, the wire 35,coil 36 of thetransformer 27, wire 37, goes to the relay 30 by the wire38 and returns by the wires 39 and 40- back to the circuit closingmember 16 in the switch 14. A portion of the current passes from thewire 39 by thelwire 40". From the wire 40, a portion passes by the wire41 and lights the lamp 28 and operates, the latch 250i the electricallyoperated locking device 20, and back by the wires 42, 43 and 40 to thecircuit closing member 16. The electrically operated locking devices 21and 22 and the lamp 29 are operated from similar branches in the circuitfrom the wires 40 and 43.

11cm the latches of the electrically operated locking devices areoperated at each of the doors, the bolts 24 are held and the respectivedoors cannot be opened. (See Fig. 5.) At the same time, the operation ofthe relay causes the annunciator 32 to operate notifying the police thatthey are wantedat the bank or other institution protected by myinvention. As soon as the switch 14 is operated, the lights 28, 29inform all the other tellers that the doors are locked. 1

To release the doors so that they could be opened, the bolt of the lock23 may be withdrawn by means of a key.

While, I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention indetail, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to theexact construction shown and that modifications and changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim is 1. A burglar trapcomprising a building having a door, a source of electrical energy, anelectrically controlled locking device and a complementary lockingdevice, one of which devices is attached to the door and the other ofwhich is attached to a portion of the building to which the door isrelain the complementary locking tively movable, means for normallyholding one of the locking members in retracted position andelectrically controlled devices for releasing said means, the lockingdevices comprising members for holding the door in locked position whenclosed whether the electrically controlled device is operated before orafter the door has reached its closed position, means in .thecomplementary locking device for withdrawing its locking member from thelocking member of the electrically controlled locking device, a switchand electrical connection between the switch and the electricallycontrolled locking device. for operating the latter from the former.

2. A burglar trap comprising a building having a door, a source ofelectrical energy, an electrically controlled locking device and acomplementary locking device, .one of which devices is attached to thedoor and the other of which is attached to a portion of the building towhich the door is rela tively movable, means for normally holding one ofthe locking members in retracted position and electrically controlleddevices for releasing said means, the locking devices comprisingcoacting locking members, one of which is yieldable to. permit the doorto come to closed and locked position when the electrically controlleddevice is operated before the door is closed,'key controlled meansdevice for withdrawing its locking mem r from engagement with thelocking member of the electrically. controlled locking means, a switchand electrical connection between the switch and the electricall ingdevice for operating t e latter from the former. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto altix my signature.

ADAM A. RICH.

controlled lock-

